Embracing the ‘Folkternative:’ ‘Non-guitar’ Fretted Instruments Making Waves in 2018
Many point to country music (and “pop country,” as purists refer to some artists) and bluegrass as two main drivers of the recent resurgence in acoustic (and, to a lesser…
Fender Level Set Buffer & Marine Layer Reverb
What a time to be alive. Between the vintage gear market, the consumer-to-consumer Internet market (eBay, craigslist, et cetera) and the phenomenal assortment of new pedals, guitar players have more…
Fender Player Series Jaguar
Days before this year’s Summer NAMM Show, Fender caught the attention of players and retailers with the announcement that the brand’s long-running Mexican Standard Series was being discontinued. The “replacement”…
Breedlove Frontier Concertina E (All-Mahogany)
I’m not usually an “acoustic guitar guy.” Sure, I have a couple and I of course see how acoustics are great for songwriting and travelling and all of that, but…
MI Dealers are On the Case, but for Some it’s a Mixed Bag Trends in the Sales of Cases & Bags in 2018
Nearly 40 percent of the participants in this month’s retailer survey (sent out to over 300 MI dealers) report level sales in 2018 when it comes to the Cases &…
And Now For Something Completely… Familiar
Whether the catalyst has been the now-infamous Washington Post article from last summer, the hopes/ questions brought about by the (now long ago) cultural phenomenon of “Guitar Hero” and “Rock…
‘Quality Over Quantity:’ Hans-Peter Wilfer of Warwick & Framus
Framus is a storied guitar line that first existed from the mid- ’40s through to the mid-‘70s, attracting some fairly well-known players along the way (Paul McCartney, Bill Wyman, John…
Could a Jazz Piano Major from Berklee Re-energize the Music Business?
At last year’s NAMM show I spoke on a panel for Guitar & Accessories Marketing Association (GAMA) about ways of reviving and creating fresh interest in guitar. That moment afforded…
D’Addario Spends Time Backstage at The AFROPUNK Festival
On August 25 and 26, D’Addario representatives were backstage at the AFROPUNK festival, sampling product, signing up Players Circle members and talking to the artist community about D’Addario and the D’Addario…
French Exclusives For JHS As Overseas Drive Continues
JHS has secured exclusive distribution Danelectro electric guitars, Snark tuners, Honeytone mini amps and Billionaire effects in France. The deals come into effect from 1st September. Danelectro saw the introduction of the brand new ’59X/XT and…
Druzkowski Conjures Up Wizard Eight-String
Drużkowski Guitars has launched the ‘The Wizard’, an 8 string headless, sold bodied guitar handcrafted to the specifications of American multi-instrumentalist Jordan Rudess (Dream Theatre, David Bowie, John Petrucci). Built by…
Trade Regrets: John Amstadter
On Tuesday, August August 28, we got the following sad news from JAMM Distributing about the passing of John Amstader: JAMM Distributing (originally stood for John Amstadter Music Merchandise) has…